Policies - Bursar's Office

Disenrollment for Financial Reasons

Payment of a student's Ave Maria University charges (tuition, room, board and fees that apply to all students) is due six weeks prior to the beginning of each semester (Clear Your Bill day) in order for the student's registration process to be completed. Account statement information is provided via Self-Service and our payment portal, CASHNet in advance of each semester to give families time to finalize payment arrangements for the net balance due (charges less finalized financial aid, private/alternative loans, outside scholarships, and other payments).

The Spring 2015 Clear Your Bill (CYB) day is December 19. Failure to Clear Your Bill by this date may result in the cancellation of a student's class registration and dorm room reservation. All students are expected to clear their bill before they move into the dorms or begin attending classes. Failure to have your financial affairs in order may put you at risk of not being able to move in or begin attending class on time.

Students with an outstanding balance on their account are not eligible to register at the university or participate in room selection. No student may receive a degree, certificate of completion, grade report or transcript until all charges due to the university or any of its related divisions are paid in full. Delinquent accounts may be transferred to private collection agencies and/or the Florida State Attorney General's Office for collection, and are subject to additional interest and/or collection charges.

Upon written appeal, the Chief Financial Officer may reconsider and, in specific cases where good and sufficient reasons exist, grant exception to the policy.

Dorm Damage Charge

Damages to a room will be charged to the occupant. Damage to common use areas of dormitories may require a pro-rata charge for each student on that floor or in that building, if it is not possible to determine individual responsibility. Any damages will be charged directly to students' accounts.

Past Due Account

Any inactive account not paid when due may be placed with a collection agency. All collection and legal costs for this will be borne by the student.

Check Returned, Insufficient Funds

A $25 fee will be charged to the student account for each check returned by the bank for non-payment. Ave Maria University reserves the right to require a cashier's check for all payments subsequent to the return of a personal check for non-sufficient funds.

Transcripts and Diploma Hold

There is an automatic hold on transcripts and diplomas for any student whose student account is not paid in full.

Student accounts are paid in full only after final payments have been received by the University from all scholarship, grants, loans, payment plans, financial institutions, or other funding sources used by the student. Please allow ten business days for release of a transcript when a balance is paid by personal check. Immediate release is allowed when payment is made by money order, cashier's check, certified check or credit card. We accept Visa, DISCOVER, American Express and MasterCard through your CASHNet account (accessed through Self Service).

Withdrawal from the University

Refund

When considering the refund of excess funds on a student's account, Ave Maria University must have received all deferred sources of payment necessary to pay the account in full. These include outside scholarships and grants, student and/or parent loans, monthly payment plans, and any other sources of deferred payments upon which the student's registration was based.

University Withdrawal/Enrollment Changes

If you withdraw from the University or drop classes within an enrollment period, keep the following points in mind:

To withdraw or drop classes officially, students must contact the Coordinator of Academic Records and follow all required official withdrawal/drop procedures.

If you leave the University and do not formally withdraw, you will be assigned a grade of "F" (failure).

Withdrawal or dropping classes does not eliminate your financial obligation to the University. You are still responsible for any charges owed to the University at the time you withdraw or drop classes, based on the University's tuition and housing refund policies.

There are specific federal, state, and University withdrawal/drop policies regarding tuition and fees, housing charges, refunds to financial aid programs, and repayments, which result from withdrawal from enrollment. Consult the Financial Aid Office for details.

Withdrawal Financial Credit

It is the student's responsibility to notify formally the Office of the Registrar and to follow proper procedures when withdrawing from the University. Failure to pay fees and/or failure to attend class does NOT constitute an official withdrawal from Ave Maria University. An official withdrawal form must be fully completed by the student, dated, and signed by all designated offices and the Coordinator of Academic Records before leaving campus. Students dismissed or suspended by Ave Maria University will not be entitled to a refund. Students are eligible for a refund of tuition, fees, and room and board charges if they withdraw officially from the course of study according to the following schedule:

Withdrawal/Drop Date

Fee % Reassessed

Fee % Due to University

During the first week of classes

100%

0%

During the 2nd week of classes

75%

25%

During the 3rd week of classes

50%

50%

During the 4th week of classes

25%

75%

During the 5th week of classes

0%

100%

NOTE: If the semester charges were not paid in full at the time of withdrawal, a bill will be forwarded for the balance due, calculated by using the appropriate percentage. Scholarships, grants, and Federally funded loans will be refunded, in the appropriate ratio, using Federal guidelines for financial aid, either to the University or to the agency from which the aid funds were received. In many cases, this will result in an additional amount due the University.

Student's Billing Rights

Any student who believes their statement is incorrect or who needs more information about the charges should immediately contact:

The student must contact the university in writing within 10 days of the charges in question. In the letter, the student must provide the following information:

Student name and account number;

Dollar amount of suspected error; and

Description of the error or an explanation of why the student believes there is an error. If the student needs more information, describe the item about which the student is unsure.

Within 10 days, the university will either correct the error or provide an explanation as to why the bill is believed to be correct.

After the university receives the student's letter, it may not attempt to collect the amount in question or report the student as delinquent. However, the university may continue to bill the student for the amount in question. The student is not obligated to pay the part(s) of the bill in question, but is responsible for the remainder of the balance, if any.

If the university finds an error was made, the student will not have to pay the amount or any finance charge related to the amount in question. If the university finds no mistake, the student is then immediately responsible for the amount, and may be responsible for any applicable finance charges. In either case, the university will send out a new statement reflecting the amount the student owes.

If the university's explanation does not satisfy the student, the student must inform the university within 10 days that he or she still refuses to pay the bill in question. The university will then note the account as in dispute with any third party involved in the collection of the account. The university will further tell the student the name of anyone to whom it reports nonpayment information. The university is further obligated to report to all parties when the matter has been resolved.

In the event the University inadvertently undercharges a student, it reserves the right to correct the student bill and receive full payment on the revised charges.